Yuddha Kanda: Chapter 85

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा राघवः शोककर्शितः। नोपधारयते व्यक्तं यदुक्तं तेन रक्षसा॥
Hearing his speech, Rāghava, overwhelmed with grief, could not perfectly comprehend what was said by the Rākşasa.

ततो धैर्यमवष्टभ्य रामः परपुरंजयः। विभीषणमुपासीनमुवाच कपिसंनिधौ॥
Then, summoning up patience, Rāma-captor of hostile capitals, spoke to Vibhisana, seated near the monkeys.

नैऋताधिपते वाक्यं यदुक्तं ते विभीषण। भूयस्तच्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि ब्रूहि यत्ते विवक्षितम्॥
O lord of Naiſtas, I once more wish to hear what, O Vibhisana, you have said.

राघवस्य वचः श्रुत्वा वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदः। यत्तत्पुनरिदं वाक्यं बभाषेऽथ विभीषणः॥
Hearing Raghava's words, Vibhisana, skilled in speech, again spoke these words, saying.

यथाज्ञप्तं महाबाहो त्वया गुल्मनिवेशनम्। तत्तथानुष्ठितं वीर त्वद्वाक्यसमनन्तरम्॥
O mighty-armed one, I have stationed the forces, O hero, agreeably to your directions.

तान्यनीकानि सर्वाणि विभक्तानि समन्ततः। विन्यस्ता यूथपाश्चैव यथान्यायं विभागशः॥
The entire force has been divided around; and the leaders have also been placed properly.

भूयस्तु मम विज्ञाप्यं तच्छृणुष्व महाप्रभो। त्वय्यकारणसंतप्ते संतप्तहृदया वयम्॥
Further, O mighty master, listen to what I have to say. On your having been causelessly aggrieve, we all of us were seized with grief.

त्यज राजन्निमं शोकं मिथ्या संतापमागतम्। यदियं त्यज्यतां चिन्ता शत्रुहर्षविवर्धिनी॥
It this anxiety of your conduce to the joy of the enemy, do you cast it off. and, O hero, bestir yourself, and summon up spirits.

उद्यमः क्रियतां वीर हर्षः समुपसेव्यताम्। प्राप्तव्या यदि ते सीता हन्तव्याश्च निशाचराः॥
If you are to have Sītā, and if the nightrangers are to be slain by you, do you, Raghu's son, listen to my profitable speech.

रघुनन्दन वक्ष्यामि श्रूयतां मे हितं वचः। साध्वयं यातु सौमित्रिर्बलेन महता वृतः॥ निकुम्भिलायां संप्राप्तं हन्तुं रावणिमाहवे। धनुर्मण्डलनिर्मुक्तैराशीविषविषोपमैः॥
Let Sumitra's son go forth, environed by a mighty force, for slaying in battle the son of Ravana, who has gone to Nikumbhila; with shafts resembling Venomous serpents, discharged from the round* of his bow. *The bow drawn to its full stretch, becomes circular.

शरैर्हन्तुं महेष्वासो रावणिं समितिंजयः। तेन वीरेण तपसा वरदानात्स्वयंभुवः। अस्त्रं ब्रह्मशिरः प्राप्तं कामगाश्च तुरंगमाः॥
By virtue of his austerities, that hero, from a boon conferred by the self-sprung, has obtained the Brahmasira weapon, together with steeds coursing at their will.

स एष किल सैन्येन प्राप्तः किल निकुम्भिलाम्। यद्युत्तिष्ठेत्कृतं कर्म हतान्सर्वांश्च विद्धि नः॥
Now he with his army has gone to Nikumbhilā; and when, having finished his rites, he gets up, know that all of us are slain.

निकुम्भिलामसंप्राप्तमकृताग्निं च यो रिपुः। त्वामाततायिनं हन्यादिन्द्रशत्रो स ते वधः॥ वरो दत्तो महाबाहो सरवलोकेश्वरेण वै। इत्येवं विहितो राजन्वधस्तस्यैष धीमतः॥
When not reaching Nikumbhilā, and not having finished your offerings to fire, you, equipped with arms, are slain by a foe, O enemy of Indra, that is your death. Thus, O mightyarmed one, did the lord of all creatures confer a boon (on Indrajit), and, o king, thus was the death of this intelligent one ordained.

वधायेन्द्रिजितो राम संदिशस्व महाबलम्। हते तस्मिन्हतं विद्धि रावणं ससुहृद्गणम्॥
O Rāma, for compassing the destruction of Indrajit, do you commission a mighty force. On his being slain, know that Rāvana along with his retainers are slain.

विभीषणवचः श्रुत्वा रामो वाक्यमथाब्रवीत्। जानामि तस्य रौद्रस्य मायां सत्यपराक्रम॥
Hearing Vibhīşana's words, Rāma said, “O you having truth for prowess, I know the illusion of that fierce one.

स हि ब्रह्मास्त्रवित्प्राज्ञो महामायो महाबलः। करोत्यसंज्ञान् संग्रामे देवान्सवरुणानपि॥
Without doubt, the is skilled in the Brahma weapon, is potent in illusion and, is possessed of exceeding strength. In conflict, he deprive of consciousness even the celestials with Varuņa (at their head).

तस्यान्तरिक्षे चरतः सरथस्य महायशः। न गतिञ्जयते वीर सूर्यस्येवाभ्रसंप्लवे॥ राघवस्तु रिपोर्ज्ञात्वा मायावीयं दुरात्मनः। लक्ष्मणं कीर्तिसंपन्नमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
As that illustrious (one) go about in the welkin on his chariot, none, can perceive his course, like the course of the sun when the sky is covered with clouds.” And Raghava, being well acquainted with the illusive energy of his wicked-minded foe, addressed the renowned Laksmana, saying.

यद्वानरेन्द्रस्य बलं तेन सर्वेण संवृतः। हनूमत्प्रमुखैश्चैव यूथपैः सह लक्ष्मण॥ जाम्बवेनःपतिना सह सैन्येन संवृतः। जहि तं राक्षससुतं मायाबलसमन्वितम्॥
Environed by the entire host of the lord of monkeys, accompanied by the leaders, O Laksmana, headed by Hanuman, with Jambavan, king of bears-and girt round by the forces, do you slay this son of the Raksasa, possessed of the strength of illusion.

अयं त्वां सचिवैः सार्धं महात्मा रजनीचरः। अभिज्ञातस्य मायानां पृष्ठतोऽनुगमिष्यति॥
And accompanied by his counsellors, this high-souled night-ranger shall follow at you back, in this engagement with that one skilled in illusion.

राघवस्य वचः श्रुत्वा लक्ष्मणः सविभीषणः। जग्राह कार्मुकश्रेष्ठमन्यद्भीमपराक्रमः॥
Then hearing Rāghava's words, Lakşmaņa endowed with dreadful prowess, with Vibhīşaņa, took up another excellent bow.

संनद्धः कवची खङ्गी सशरी वामचापभृत्। रामपादावुपस्पृश्य हृष्टः सौमित्रिरब्रवीत्॥
And donning on his mail, and putting on his armour and his sword, and furnished with arrows, and a bow in his left hand, Sumitrā's son, touching Rāma's feet, feeling elated, addressed Rāma, saying.

अद्य मत्कार्मुकोन्मुक्ताः शरा निर्भिद्य रावणिम्। लङ्कामभिपतिष्यन्ति हंसाः पुष्करिणीमिव ॥
Today the shafts discharged from my bow, piercing Ravana's son, shall fall into Lanka, even as swans drop into a tank.

अद्यैव तस्य रौद्रस्य शरीरं मामकाः शराः। विधमिष्यन्ति भित्त्वा तं महाचापगुणच्युताः॥
This very day shall my arrows, shot from my redoubtable bow-string, rive the body of that terrific one.

एवमुक्त्वा तु वचनं द्युतिमान्धातुरग्रतः। स रावणिवधाकाली लक्ष्मणस्त्वरितं ययौ॥
Having spoken thus, the effulgent Lakşmana, eager to slay Rāvana's son, went before his brother.

सोऽभिवाद्य गुरोः पादौ कृत्वा चापि प्रदक्षिणम्। निकुम्भिलामभिययौ चैत्यं रावणिपालितम्॥
Having saluted at the feet of his superior and went round him, Lakşmaņa set out for the sacrificial ground (named) Nikumbhila, protected by the son of Rāvana.

विभीषणेन सहितो राजपुत्रः प्रतापवान्। कृतस्वस्त्ययनो भ्रात्रा लक्ष्मणस्त्वरितो ययौ॥
Accompanied by Vibhīşaņa, that powerful son of the king-Lakşmaņa-after his brother had offered up prayers in his behalf, set off with all speed.

वानराणां सहस्रेस्तु हनूमान्बहुभिर्वृतः। विभीषणश्च सामात्यो लक्ष्मणं त्वरितं ययौ॥
Surrounded by thousands of monkeys, Hanumān as well as Vibhīşaņa together with his counsellors speedily went in the wake of Lakş mana.

महता हरिसैन्येन सवेगमभिसंवृतः। ऋक्षराजबलं चैव ददर्श पथि विष्ठितम्॥
And strongly encompassed by that mighty monkey-host, (Laksmana) saw the forces of the bear-king stationed on the way.

स गत्वा दूरमध्वानं सौमित्रिमित्रनन्दनः। राक्षसेन्द्रबलं दूरादपश्यद्व्यूहमाश्रितम्॥
Having proceeded far, Sumitra's Sumitra's son-enhancer of the delight of friends, from a distance discovered the forces of the Rākşasmonarch, drawn up in battle-array.

स संप्राप्य धनुष्याणिर्मायायोगमरिंदमः। तस्थौ ब्रह्मविधानेन विजेतुं रघुनन्दनः॥
That subduer of enemies-Raghu's sonbearing his bow in his hand, coming upon him whose martial might lay in illusion, stopped (there) for conquering his foe agreeably to the ordinance * of Brahma. *The ordinance was that Indrajit should be slain while remaining outside Nikumbhilā, his rites not yet finished.

विभीषणेन सहितो राजपुत्रः प्रतापवान्। अङ्गदेन च वीरेण तथानिलसुतेन च॥ विविधममलशस्त्रभास्वरं तद्ध्वजगहनं गहनं महारथैश्च। प्रतिभयतममप्रमेयवेगं तिमिरमिव द्विषतां बलं विवेश॥
Accompanied by Vibhīşaņa, the heroic Angada, and the Wind-god's offspring, the powerful son of the king dived into the forces of the foe, various, blazing with burnished arms, dense with standards, and thronging with mighty cars,* capable of striking terror (into the hearts of the spectators), instinct with immeasurable energy, and resembling darkness. *Maharathai (ab.) may also mean with mighty carwarriors.